Vienna -The Cemetery of the Nameless

The Cemetery of the Nameless is not easy to find. Only a few signs along the way point to this place only thirty minutes from downtown Vienna, the Capital of Austria.

I wish Simple would be Simpler

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Have you ever wished the fantastic world of Narnia stretched out behind the door of your wardrobe, or if you don’t have a wardrobe, that a magical door would appear in your closet, or that you just need to run fast enough towards a wall on the platform to immerse yourself in another, magical land?

The Birthday Ghosts of The Past, Present and Future

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In less than two weeks on November 7th, I will celebrate my 60th birthday and I am struggling. Not so much with the number itself, even though I don’t completely understand how it happened. Wasn’t it just a couple of years ago that I celebrated being 50 years young?

International Song lyrics -Once Around the World

The Golden Voice from Czechoslovakia. A beautiful country, once a part of Austria and Hungary and since 1992 separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

An American By Choice

USA and Austria

I am not a migrant. I am a first-generation love immigrant who followed her heart -and the man who was holding it captive. I came to America from a wealthy West-European country, a land that granted fantastic healthcare to everybody. I didn’t know what co-pay was, could get my teeth fixed, my eyes checked, and had a yearly physical from an early age.

Caviar and Champagne or Onion with Vodka?

I visited Russia twice. The first time when it was still the USSR and ten years later, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. From an early age on I had decided I would not like Russia or the Russian people. I didn’t need the COLD WAR or politics to tell me what to feel and what to believe. I had heard enough stories from German, Italian and Austrian soldiers when I grew up. So many had been prisoners of war in Russia during WWII, including my own father. The fact that all of them made a difference between Russia as a country, the Russian people, and their government was ignored by me on purpose. Isn’t it all the same?

Christmas in Tyrol, Austria

Frohe Weihnachten – Merry Christmas – Joyeux Noël – Feliz Natal – Feliz Navidad – Buon Natale

While much is the same, some customs and traditions in Austria are different. Christmas at home was special. I have so many great memories. What an amazing childhood I had. I was fortunate to spend twelve wonderful years with my Grandma on our farm, and now looking back, I could fill books with stories and anecdotes.

St. Nicholas Day in Austria so many years ago

Today is Saint Nikolaus day, and in a few hours, right after dawn, little children in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and many other countries, will sit in the living room and kitchen, huddled up together waiting for the Saint to arrive. Even now fifty years later and five thousand miles away, I still celebrate the day and I remember my childhood.

Starbucks? Meet Austrian Ice Coffee!

My husband had his first Starbucks coffee a few weeks ago. When I asked him how he liked it, he said it was alright, but not worth the money. Sometimes, his down to earthiness can be a bit annoying. Of course, he is right. I remember how shocked I was years ago when a friend invited me to a cup of overpriced caramel-whipped-cream-madness. I had forgotten and he brought things back into perspective.

A Letter from the Uncle in India

I just finished reading Derick’s blog and when he mentioned his dinner -a Tandoori take out- I couldn’t help but smile and my mind wandered down on memory lane.